Thursday, April 27, 2006

It's not easy being a Wolverine fan living behind enemy lines in Ohio. From what we've been told by those that live there, the abuse is constant.

Well, a couple of M Zone readers and M fans finally had enough. And they came up with a very funny and clever way to get back at their Buckeye brethren who surround them on a daily basis.

The guys contacted Eastbay, a large online athletic supply company, and had a couple of custom #58 Clemson jerseys made up with the name "BAUMAN" put on the back. As the guys said in their email to us: "It's a small moral victory but we do enjoy wearing these whenever we happen to be in Columbus for OSU home games. Yes, it's pretty childish but it makes us laugh. Especially when OSU fans recognize the name and jersey, and become very, very upset."

So who is Charlie Bauman and why would this piss off Buckeyes so much? Well, for those that don't already know...

Charlie Bauman was the Clemson football player who had the audacity to intercept Buckeye QB Art Schlichter's 3rd and 5 toss in the waning moments of '78 Gator Bowl. He then ran out of bounds in front of the Ohio State bench. Woody Hayes became enraged that somebody had the nerve to intercept one of his rare pass plays and decided national TV was a great place to slug Mr. Bauman. As a result, Ohio State fired Hayes the next day (and Hayes went to his grave never having apologized for "The Punch").

Needless to say, one can now understand why Tosu folks bristle at the sight of these jerseys.

Ah, the art of the subtle - but highly effective - taunt. I think I can speak for all the M Zone staff by saying, "Well done, gentlemen. Well done."

UCLA tried to do a similar thing to USC this year. After we lost the Rose Bowl to Texas, UCLA fans by the hundreds wore Texas Longhorn shirts to the UCLA-USC basketball game. We just laughed because they haven't been able to beat us in football for 7 years and have to resort to wearing Texas garb. Now we call them UTLA. Kinda backfired on them.

I know how to piss off a Michigan fan. 1) Research and find some lame ass incident that happened in 1927 2) Make a shirt referring to that story. Woah, am I smart, or what? Surprised I haven't been asked to work on that cutting edge Manhattan project.

Don't let Tosu folks fool you...it gets to them. They want to play the ultra-cocky front and act like they're over it, but they're not. If only they fostered similar subtle creativity, but no such luck. Unoriginal asswipes they'll always be.

Ooooo...ya got me with 'Scoreboard'.

Lame. Go back to highlighting 'Beetle Bailey' for your Lit class you knob.

I could understand--although still not condone--punching an opposing player who administered a late hit on an Ohio state player after he'd run out of bounds, but Bauman was just playing hard so his team could win. What did Woody Hayes expect him to do?

Seeing how Bauman was being interviewed in the heart of Buckeye country when he made that remark, I suppose it was both exceptionally gracious and self preserving. Or, maybe one of the reporters was a little hottie in a tight fitting Buckeye sweater, I don't know.

As for describing Woody as a "prick", I take it the author of that one is either a clinical psychologist, using that word in a professional way, or else he just works with a bunch of generous, caring people like Woody and considers them all "pricks" too.

I don't see a lot of reference to Bo on the Ohio boards, but those of us old enough to recall the days of that coaching rivalry will probably never forget it. I know for me, that coaching rivalry was just as enjoyable as the game itself.

I'm under 30 and understood the jersey gag. I certainly would have had to look up the actual name of the player, but the mention of a Clemson jersey meant to rile up Buckeye fans is pretty obvious. Since my four years spent at tCOW put me in the heart of O-hi-o, I know about being surrounded and trying to find creative ways to fight back.

One correction though, Yost: "Granted, it's not as genius as the 86,000 "FUCK MICHIGAN" shirts one sees in the 'Shoe during the M game but it's something." The Michigan game of course causes a spike in the Fuck UM shirts so that about 95,000 of them show up that Saturday; as opposed to the roughly 86,000 which are present for the Ohio University or Northwestern games.

Well, thanks Yost for indicating that general treatment of Woody around these parts is a bit 'harsh.'

And thanks BPD, for pointing out the fact that always gets left out around here...Woody was reacting (insanley, yes) to a late hit administered to one of his players. Was he more riled up than usual b/c of the INT? I imagine that's probably the case. But I don't think its fair to just claim that Woody sucker-punched a kid because he picked off an OSU pass. Does this make it OK for Woody to punch a kid (i've heard buckeyes justifiy it before-he was defending his player, etc) NO ITS NOT OK. But lets at least be honest in discussing why Woody hit the kid. So thanks again BPD.

And im such a young Buckeye fan that I dind't even know Clemson was the team that OSU was playing that day. I just knew Woody hit some kid and got fired. So this joke would be far over my head, and I like to think of myself as a somewhat literate and educated graduate student. Anyway, my two cents. Anybody want a copy of the OSU spring game, I can burn dvds of it...oops wrong board, lol. Peace.

I just reread Baggy's comment from yesterday. I think (and Baggy, please clarify) that you misunderstood what he wrote.

The late hit he describes is hypothetical. You mention that one actually took place. I haven't seen the film in a while, but I don't recall there being a late hit and can't imagine how there could have been one on Bauman who was carrying the ball and eventually ran out of bounds.

Re. "harsh" treatment of Woody here:

I was the guy who called Woody a 'prick' yesterday and I've had several other unflattering things to say about him on this blog and elsewhere, all of which I stand behind. However, I'm going to take my foot off of the Woody-bashing pedal.

Some of my attacks on him are responses to the consistent tOSU fans' admiration (at worst) or rationalization (at best) of what I feel were several examples of ridiculous behavior by Woody. But I understand how much tOSU fans (including some reasonable folks who comment in MZone) love the guy. I won't be changing their minds about him, nor will I try.

Below are Baggy's comments:I could understand--although still not condone--punching an opposing player who administered a late hit on an Ohio state player after he'd run out of bounds, but Bauman was just playing hard so his team could win. What did Woody Hayes expect him to do?

I can understand a Michigan fan's utter hatred of Woody. Woody wasn't exactly classy towards the "state up north". However, despite his stanture toward Michigan and player punching, Woody was a good man and was well respected....in Ohio at least.

No, I am in school for another 5 weeks or so, then active-duty for training at Ft. Lewis WA over the summer. I'll get to Michigan and start working for the church around 1September.

ic,

Well, what we have here is an interesting case.

A couple things: first, I think I did misread BPDs comments, thanks for the catch.

Second (and bigger) is you're basically talking to a young buck (I wasn't even alive when this incident happened) who doesn't even know what the hell happened. I was always under the impression for some reason that Woody was acting 'to defend a player.' I also was under the impression that the infamous punch ocurred after the game was over.

I can understand how Woody's emotions might have been elevated about an interception and that put him over the top. That's how I've always understtood the issue (interception happens, woody get riled, game ends, something or some threat happens between clemson defender and OSU player, woody punches clemson player).

I don't condone anything that Woody did regardless the circumstances. The guy was flat out wrong and I also don't condone any Buckeye faithful that think 'defending a player' is worthy of punchign an opponent-its not.

But really I'm just full of conjecture and assumption here, a bunch of hot air.

As I said above, I didn't even know what team OSU was playing against that day. I do have some interaction on the positive side of Woody since I live down here, and I do know what he meant to this community off the field.

I don't agree with the way he villified Michigan-though I would assert that the villification faded with the arrival and rivalry/friendship with Bo Schembechkler(sp?wtf). One of the things that I think we all forget (OSU and UM fans) is that Bo and Woody were great friends and respected the hell out of each other. I bet Woody would punch any Buckeye that called Bo a whore, and vice versa.

I sure would like to see a video of that punch, if it is available. Being nearly 30 years ago, my mind's-eye version of things may be just a version that got created in one of my dreams. However, I seem to recall that Charlie stuck the football under Woody's nose in a goading manner and that was when Woody administered his form of "frontier justice".

Like I said, I could be wrong but I would like to see a run or two of the tape so I can refresh my memory regarding this matter.

So if anyone can provide a link, I sure would appreciate it.

Meanwhile, I will just go back to being the ultra-cocky, yet unoriginal, asswipe that some anonymous people think I am.

Sorry, but you can thank the remaining 99.9% who have ruined it for YOU. I endured 30+ years of the b/s, bragging, and badgering whilst residing in that state. Thankfully I came to my senses and escaped. Although I truly miss 20 years of Ann Arbor season tickets, it's well worth living 2,000 miles away from anything Ohio.

the actions of Woody where absolutely uncalled for & the 'Buckeye powers that be' took care of the situation accordingly - BUT - if Lllloyd or any of the other UM nation had a quarter of the heart Hayes had for his program they'd not be in such disarray.

Woody was a bare knuckles kind of guy. Being that way on the 'outside' wouldn't fly today - but feeling that way on the 'inside' is the difference you've been seeing in November.

Fairly definitive on the clip from above - kid makes a pick, gets tackled on the Tosu sidelines, gets up, gets drilled by the old man for no apparent reason other than he made a play. Fairly typical example of routine behavior in Columbus. WORST. FANS. EVER!

That doesn't bother this Buckeye fan near as much as imagining what could have been if tsun had no Schembechler and neither of your (also Ohioan) Heisman winners. Hopefully you won't have anymore of our aforementioned homebreds.

haha im a huge ohio state fan.. my dad was qb for them back in the 80's.. he was 2nd string but any wyas... i have fuck michigan shirts and a buckeye pissin on the M and fillin it with yellow... but this whole jersey thing is a funny way of juss makin the rivalry kinda funny.. i mean its not mean or really bad.. its clever

i root for michigan unless i need for them to loose or they're playin the bucks

...something else interesting. Besides Woody Hayes last game being a loss against Clemson, Barry Switzers last game was a loss against Clemson (1989 Citrus bowl), and Lou Holtz's last game was a 29-7 loss against Clesmon.

As a Clemson fan, I had a good time in Columbus about 10 years ago. I was up there for a PSU/OSU football game when OSU was ranked #1. We stopped into some bar and I started razzing these old guys. Saying I'd heard that Woody Harrelson used to coach them? They didn't like that none too much. Especially, after they found out I was a Clemson fan and had just been stringing them along to get to the final punch line (pun intended).

How to Piss of a Wolverine:I was tired of constantly being harassed by Michigan people so I contacted the Smead paper company and had them reprint a copy of the menu from the Excalibur Restaurant in Southfield, Michigan. I enjoy reading this menu in front of Michigan fans and when then finally recognize the name of the place they become very, very upset. So what is the Excalibur Restaurant and why would this piss off Wolverines so much? Well for those of you who don't know (and judging from the general itelligence here you don't)....

The Excalibur Restaurant is where Gary Moeller had his meltdown, assault of a cop, drunken escapade, audition for Dancing with the Stars, or whatever you want to call it. See the thing you idiots don't understand about coaches is that they can be fools in public sometimes can't they? Clean up your own backyard before you start judging your next door neighbor's. Suck it Blue! See ya 11-18-06!

Wrong most of us appreciate good humor even if it is directed our way. It is not the target of the joke it is the cleverness of it...suck that...weak.....obtw moller deserved to be fired (imo-he wasnt that good of coach) That said I am glad he got his life straighted out.

I'm an OSU fan and I think the shirt is funny and inarguably clever. In fact, many of the OSU fans leaving comments here have seemed to appreciate it. I think that speaks highly of us as a group, although maybe that's because any OSU fan to be found reading a post here is going to likely be more tolerant to begin with. Anyway, Woody is absolutely revered here, as I'm sure you know, but punching a player is absolutely inexcusable no matter what, and OSU did the right thing in firing him immediately, and that one fraction of a minute taints his entire legacy. (For a parallel in another football sport, see Zidane. Disgraceful.)

But now.... in Tressel we trust! (This is a slogan you see around Columbus, and which I believe in -- and which is quite a compliment to Tressel, when you consider Who is normally the object of that sentence.)

Anonymous said... "what could be more insulting to an osu fan than calling him a 'buckeye' !!!"

Calling him a UM fan would do it! LOL!

I saw the game, and I just watched the video, and I saw Woody smack him because he(Baughman) looked like he kinda "huffed up" on all the OSU players on the side line. That alone is ABSOLUTELY no reason to smack the kid, even in a fury. What we don't know for sure though, is what Baughman may have "SAID" when he was over there. No doubt, there's not much that could be said that would justify Woody's reaction, but in the heat of the moment, I could see a spitfire like him "losing it" temporarily.Not saying he shouldn't be vilified for his loss of control, but I think it's ridiculous to say he smacked Baughman simply because he made an interception, and it certainly does not DEFINE him as a person or a coach!

Just remember, you may have never had "Bo" and/or his legacy at UM, if it wasn't for Woody. He WAS his Mentor, and helped him become who he was! At least respect that!

P.S. It doesn't "piss me off" one bit. Just makes me want to analyze it and see if it's justified. IMO it's not justifiable as far as "slamming" Woody, but it is a clever way to get a "dig" in, if you're into knee-jerk reactions!

I was just looking around at what Michigan fans are saying after the App.St and Oregon embarrassments when I ran across this. As a die-hard Buckeye fan, I don't know if I should be upset for the Big Ten or continue laughing over what's transpired. Anyway, the Bauman joke is a good one. Nice creativity. Maybe the Blue should transfer that to the field.

Follow the MZone

Subscribe To

The MZone-slash-MichiganZone.net-slash-MichiganZone.blogspot.com is in no way affiliated with the University of Michigan and/or U-M football in any way. If you thought it was, frankly I'm surprised you know how to use a computer.